Continuous casting sleeve mold

ABSTRACT

The jacket of the mold is comprised of two cast iron halves, each of which has from two to four or more longitudinally extending ridges which contact and support a copper mold sleeve. The ridges maintain the sleeve in spaced relation to the jacket and thereby form cooling water flow passages.

United States Patent 1 Haussner CONTINUOUS CASTING SLEEVE MOLD [75] Inventor: Theodor H. W. Haussner, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh,

[22] Filed: June 24, 1971 l [21] Appl. No.: 156,325

[52] US. Cl. ..164/283, 164/273 R [51] Int. Cl. ..B22d 11/02 [58] Field of Search.. ..164/82, 273 R, 283

i [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,644 5/1937 Williams 164/89 3,049,769 8/1962 Schultz 164/273 R X 1.11 3,730,257 [451 May 1, 1973 3,527,287 9/1970 Huber 164/283 FOREIGN PATENTS APPLICATIONS 515,102 11/1952 Belgium ..l64/82 742,771 12/1943 Germany ....l64/273 R 1,919,710 11/1970 Germany ..l64/273 R Primary Examinr-R. Spencer Annear AttorneySherman H. Barber et a1.

[ 57] ABSTRACT The jacket of the mold is comprised of two cast iron halves, each of which has from two to four or more longitudinally extending ridges which contact and support a copper mold sleeve. The ridges maintain the sleeve in spaced relation to the jacket and thereby form cooling water flow passages. Y a

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures CONTINUOUS CASTING SLEEVE MOLD BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A continuous casting mold in accordance with the invention comprises a first inner sleeve of metal such as copper, and a surrounding spaced-apart outer sleeve of a different metal. The inner sleeve has a flange at one end that coacts with the outer sleeve and thereby holds and keeps the sleeves in axial relative position.

The inner surface of the outer sleeve is provided with a plurality of protrusions in the form, preferably, of ridges that contact and support. the inner sleeve in a spaced apart relation to the outer sleeve. The ridges also subdivide the space between the sleeves into fluid flow channels.

The outer sleeve is split longitudinally into two portions which are fastened together with removable fasteners, and at each end of the outer sleeve there are internal channels around the inner sleeve for proper distribution of cooling fluid.

The outer sleeve is secured to end plates, one of which is adapted to be connected to other casting apparatus such as a tundish or the like.

For a further understanding of the invention and for features and advantages thereof reference may be made to the following description and the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view ofa horizontal continuous casting mold in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view along line 11-" of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates a horizontal continuous casting mold 11 which is comprised of a split cast iron jacket 13 and a copper mold sleeve 15 that is disposed within the jacket 13.

The cast iron jacket 13 is split longitudinally into two halves 17, 19 that have matching flanges 21, 23 in which there are a plurality of matching bolt holes 25. Suitable bolt and nut fasteners may be inserted into these holes to secure the two jacket halves 17, 19 in operative relation.

Each cast iron jacket one-half portion 17, 19 has a plurality of elongate parallel ridges 27 on its inner surface. While four such ridges 27 are shown in FIG. 2, it is to be understood that there may be more or less number of ridges as desired, but not less than one ridge on each inner surface ofeach one-half portion.

Each one-ha|f jacket portion is also provided with cooling water chambers or channels 29, 31 at opposite ends, that are shaped in cross section about as shown in FIG. 1. There chambers or channels 29, 31 communicate fluidly with elongate channels 33 formed between the ridges 27 which contact and support the I mold sleeve 15. Also, these chambers or channels 29, 31 distribute the cooling fluid uniformly around the ends of the inner tubular sleeve 15.

Each end of each one-half jacket portion 17, 19 is flanged, as at 35, with bolt holes 37 provided to secure the flanges 35 to annular end plates 39, 41. It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the flanges 35 have generously rounded corners 43; but, any other suitable shape may be used if preferred.

The annular end plate 39 has threaded holes 45 that match the holes 37, wherefore: only cap screws are required to secure the end plate 39 to the flange 35. The annular end plate 39 also has'a chamfered edge portion 47, as shown in FIG. l'in which an O-ring seal member 49 resides. A seal ring retainer plate 51 is secured to the annular end plate: 39 by means of suitable screwed fasteners 53, and a suitable gasket 55 is disposed between the flange 35 and the end plate 39. The inner surface of the end plate 39 is counterbored, as at 57, to provide a part of the cooling water channel 29 mentioned previously.

The opposite jacket flanges 35 abut the annular end plate 41 with a suitable gasket 59 disposed therebetween. The annular end plate 41 is secured to the flange 35 in the same way the end plate 39 is secured to the flange 35. Also the annular end plate 41 is counterbored as at 61 to receive a flange 63 that is secured as by brazing to one of the mold sleeve 15, as shown in FIG. 1. It will be noted that the end plate 41 has a slightly larger central opening 65 than that in the.

other end plate 39; wherefore, there is no inner counterbore in the end plate 41. The larger central opening 65 provides a passage for cooling .water to flow from the channel 31 into the passages 33.

The annular end plate 41 is also provided with mold lubricant passages 67 and a threaded inlet 69, which conduct mold lubricating fluid into the interior, of the mold 11.

As will be noted from FIG. 1 and 2, there are a plurality of cooling water inlet conduits 71, which are threadedly connected to the flange end portion of the jackets 17, 19, and a plurality of similar conduits 73 that carry cooling water away from the channel 31.

The annular end plate 41 is also provided with a plurality of holes 75 which would match other holes in an abutting apparatus, such as a tundish-(not shown), and which receive fasteners to secure the mold 11 to such abutting apparatus.

It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the mold sleeve 15 is a thin square copper tube to which the flange 63 is con- I nected at one end only. The other'end of the mold sleeve is free to move linearly when the mold sleeve becomes heated.

While the continuous casting sleeve mold 11 is shown and described herein as a horizontal mold, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that the mold of the invention can also be used vertically. Further, the mold of the present invention may be curved as well as straight when such a mold is preferred.

Also, while the mold jacket 13 is described as being made of cast iron, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that the jacket may be made of any suitable material, and that the jacket of the inven- I tire length. Hence, whenever the mold is used verti-.

cally, the mold sleeve will not be damaged in caseof an overflow of molten metal. I

No O-ring water seals are needed at the top of the vertical mold as in molds known from the prior art. It is recognized that in prior art molds the conventional O- ring seals at the top are usually destroyed whenever an overflow occurs.

No conventional locking plates are required to hold the mold in place and so no slots have to be machined in the mold sleeve. This is a significant feature and advantage.

The mold sleeve of the present invention is very simple to construct and it is very easy to quickly remove and replace such a mold sleeve. Much less time is required to remove and replace the mold sleeve of the present invention than conventional mold sleeves.

No stainless steel sleeve is used to form the cooling water passage around the mold sleeve as in conventional practice. Wherefore, a third O-ring seal is also eliminated.

Although the invention has been described herein with a certain degree of particularity it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only as an example and that the scope of the invention is defined by what is hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A continuous casting mold comprising:

a. a first tubular sleeve having a polygonal cross section, adapted to receive molten metal;

b. a second tubular sleeve having a polygonal cross section surrounding said first tubular sleeve, said second tubular sleeve being split along a diagonal of said polygonal shape into two sleeve portions;

0. a plurality of elongate parallel ridges on the inner surfaces of said sleeve portions that effect substantially line contact with and support for said first tubular sleeve, whereby cooling fluid channels are formed longitudinally of said mold;

. a flange on said first tubular sleeve that cooperates with said second tubular sleeve portions to hold and maintain said sleeves in a fixed relative position; and

. fastener means holding said two sleeve portions in fixed relation to each other around said inner sleeve.

A continuous casting mold comprising: a first inner rectangular tubular sleeve having a a plurality of parallel ridges extending lengthwise of the inner surface of said outer sleeve and making substantially only line contact with the outer surface of said inner sleeve, whereby longitudinal fluid flow channels are formed in the space between said sleeves;

. means to flow cooling fluid into and out of said end plates secured to the ends of said second outer sleeve which end plates are adapted to be secured to other casting apparatus; and

sealing means disposed between said inner and outer sleeves that prevents cooling fluid from escaping from the space between said sleeves except via said means to conduct fluid into and out of said channels. 

1. A continuous casting mold comprising: a. a first tubular sleeve having a polygonal cross section, adapted to receive molten metal; b. a second tubular sleeve having a polygonal cross section surrounding said first tubular sleeve, said second tubular sleeve being split along a diagonal of said polygonal shape into two sleeve portions; c. a plurality of elongate parallel ridges on the inner surfaces of said sleeve portions that effect substantially line contact with and support for said first tubular sleeve, whereby cooling fluid channels are formed longitudinally of said mold; d. a flange on said first tubular sleeve that cooperates with said second tubular sleeve portions to hold and maintain said sleeves in a fixed relative position; and e. fastener means holding said two sleeve portions in fixed relation to each other around said inner sleeve.
 2. A continuous casting mold comprising: a. a first inner rectangular tubular sleeve having a flange at one end and being adapted to receive molten metal; b. a second outer rectangular sleeve surrounding said first sleeve, said second sleeve being split along a diagonal of said rectangular shape into two sleeve portions; c. fasteners securing said two sleeve portions together; d. a plurality of parallel ridges extending lengthwise of the inner surface of said outer sleeve and making substantially only line contact with the outer surface of said inner sleeve, whereby longitudinal fluid flow channels are formed in the space between said sleeves; e. means to flow cooling fluid into and out of said fluid flow channels; f. end plates secured to the ends of said second outer sleeve which end plates are adapted to be secured to other casting apparatus; and g. sealing means disposed between said inner and outer sleeves that prevents cooling fluid from escaping from the space between said sleeves except via said means to conduct fluid into and out of said channels. 